On CNN: the comeback of the Ekranoplan

The answer is neither, or a bit of both, depends on how you see it. A ground effect vehicle skims the surface of the water without touching it.

The concept was widely researched by the Soviets, that even built some giant prototypes, with a military purpose, before falling out of favour.

But ground effect vehicles, or ekranoplans as they are often referred to, may soon become a thing again if a Singaporean entrepreneur manages to take his project off the ground (or, more appropriately, off the water!). He is perfecting a new generation ground effect vehicle for civilian and commercial uses, the AirFish.